Cancer has been one of the leading causes of death globally, with metastases and recurrences contributing to this result. The detection of circulating tumor cells (CTCs), which have been implicated as a major population of cells that is responsible for seeding and migration of tumor sites, could contribute to early detection of metastasis and recurrences, consequently increasing the chances of cure. This review article focuses on the current progress in microfluidics technology in CTCs diagnostics, extending to the use of nanomaterials and surface modification techniques for diagnostic applications, with an emphasis on the importance of integrating microchannels, nanomaterials, and surface modification techniques in the isolating and detecting of CTCs.
Keywords: circulating tumor cells; graphene oxide; liquid biopsy; microfluidic; surface modification.